Inside and Out

Okay, so this week has given us one annoyance after another in this house…the most irritating being the air conditioner going out upstairs and our kitchen faucet breaking. Whenever these things go wrong, my husband and I look at each other and know that we’re going to have to call in expert help. We’ve never worked in air conditioning or plumbing. We have no idea how the insides of these things work. And we’re not so good at figuring it out on our own. Same thing if something goes wrong with the car, the television, the computer, or whatever else…if something goes wrong with these things, you probably have to get someone else to take care of it. Someone who does know how it operates. Somebody who has been trained, has some experience, or maybe the person who installed the thing to begin with. If you think about it, no matter what it is, the guy or gal who made that machine would be the best person to call in case of trouble.

Which brings me to a really cool attribute of our King. He is the Lord God, CREATOR.

Genesis gives us a play-by-play account of how He brought our own planet into existence….”In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…” (Genesis 1:1) He spoke into this dark void and made a planet — the ground and the sea, Night and Day, the sun and the moon, plants and animals.

The awesome results — sunsets and mountains and all of these breath-taking sights we have in this world — are more than beautiful scenes. When God created all of this, we were already in His thoughts…and with each creation, He gave us a little clue into His personality. Romans 1:20 says “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Just give this a chance: when you’re out in this world, open your eyes and your heart. Ask God to show you His character in His work…when you notice the dependability of the moon’s cycles, the care a mama bird shows in making a nest for her babies, the faithfulness of your pet puppy…think of your King and what that might say about Him.

As you know, He didn’t stop creating when He was finished shaping the earth and all that fills it. In fact, it was only then — when everything was ready (think of that mama bird again!) — that He “formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7). Isn’t it amazing to think that He breathed His own life into us?

And because He’s known us from the beginning, He knows all of our inner-workings. You guys, our King is the expert we can call on when have trouble!!!

Please read this Psalm of David…listen to how He knows you…and this is you, you personally — not just mankind in some general, vague sense. “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well! My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139: 13-16) And these days? Luke 12:7 talks about how He knows exactly what happens to every little sparrow…and how much more valuable you are than those! He cares so much that He knows the number of hairs on your head….seriously, you guys, try counting every strand of hair on your head. You can’t do it. But your Creator — this King of the galaxy and time and all the giant ideas in this world — knows the details of your life. He knows you inside and out, and He’s known you from the beginning of time. Who better to trust with your life?

Here’s one more thing I’d like to show you….now, some people may call this coincidence. But we know better, don’t we? We know that the King who pursues us with His love created this world, everything outside of it and everything inside of it…He knew you from the beginning….and from the beginning He knew that it would cost Him everything to build that bridge between the two of you. This picture was taken by NASA and it shows us the center of the Whirlpool Galaxy. I think it’s one more reflection of Him — yet another reminder of His love.